Local test results score big

WCSD surpasses state in CCRPI, SCCS improves

The Georgia Department of Education released the 2025 College and Career Readiness Performance Index results and Walton County School District students continued to outperform the state in most areas and grade levels.

Meanwhile, in Social Circle City Schools, scores showed significant gains in all four categories at Social Circle Middle and Elementary schools.

Social Circle High School improved in two of the five categories, Progress and Readiness, but showed slight declines otherwise.

CCRPI serves as Georgia’s statewide accountability system under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Scores are reported separately for elementary, middle and high schools in four key components — Content Mastery, Progress, Readiness, and Closing Gaps — with graduation rate also reported at the high school level.

“The CCRPI results reaffirm the exceptional work happening in classrooms across Walton County,” said Superintendent Chip Underwood. “Our teachers and leaders are relentlessly focused on high-quality instruction, and our students continue to rise to those expectations. These results reflect the strong partnership between our schools, families, and community.”

Aaron Robinson, director of assessment and accountability for SCCS, said Social Circle’s performance showed improvement and demonstrated the strength of the system’s approach to education.

“The extent of the work our students and staff do every day is difficult to capture in this data, but to see the improvements here is rewarding,” Robinson said. “We believe that the impact we are having on student learning will continue in this direction as we strive to meet our achievement goals.”

In the Walton County district, the high schools achieved a 94.5% graduation rate, outpacing the state by more than seven points. Elementary schools demonstrated exceptional growth in Progress with a score of 91.2, well above the state average of 86.1.

Districtwide, Walton County schools outperformed the state in Content Mastery and Readiness at all levels, reflecting strong academic achievement and preparation for college and career success.

SCES saw a progress score of 94.9, also outpacing the state, while SCMS saw particular growth in closing gaps and readiness. SCHS’s graduation rate of 90.8% was a decrease from last year, but still was ahead of the state rate of 87.2%.

School officials said the numbers would help them continue to guide their schools in the right direction.

“We are proud of these accomplishments and remain committed to using this data to guide continuous improvement,” Underwood said. “Every success represents the dedication of our staff and the determination of our students.”